Shoe making



Nov. 24, 1942. c. FlLslNGl-:R

SHOE MAKING Filed July 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l .Q n a .a @L

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I. Mull l lill/.Kalli rl w:

'IlfPsrllIrl Inventor u. mw

Nov. 24, 1942. c. FILSINGER SHOE MAKING Filed July 7, 1958 2 SheecS-Sheel 2 LHRLFILEIINGER- A INVENTOR. BY @4% ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE MAKING Carl Filsinger, Jersey City, N. J.

Application July 7, 1938, Serial No. 217,845

12 Claims.

This invention concerns a method of and apparatus for making shoes. More particularly the invention relates to lasts, and to a method and means for performing operations in connection with a shoe arranged upon a last.

It is an object of this invention to provide for lasts in' a predetermined order so that the shaping and ilnishing of shoes thereon may be expedited.

The invention further provides for adjusting lasts and for performing operations on shoes on a last in an automatic or semi-automatic fashion.

It is another object of this invention to provide for an adjustable last, e. g. it may be expanded or contracted in order to press or shape a shoe thereon, or in order to release the shoe.

Another object of this invention provides for expansion of a last in diiferent directions in a predetermined rotation, and for reversing the. said order of rotation in the collapsingoperation.

Another object of this invention provides for expanding and collapsing of the last without substantially disturbing the continuity of contour of the last.

In accordance with another object of this inventlon, a machine is provided in which lasts move relatively to an operating position or positions. The lasts return to the said position in a predetermined order for a repetition of the said operation.

Another object of this invention provides for a machine with moving lasts in which the lasts are predeterminedly arranged in respect to means operating upon a shoe mounted on the last, or applying parts thereto.

'Ihis invention also provides for heating means, either upon or inside of a last, or outside of a last in supplemented implements, e. g. for ironing or treatment of the shoe on the last, or both.

'I'he machine is further to provide for means predeterminedly aligning parts, e. g. soles, and predeterminedly aligning and moving them in respect to a last or to a shoe mounted on the last.

The invention also contemplates the application of pressure to a shoe upon the inside, or from the outside, or both. The invention further has the purview to provide for the commencing, e. g. cementing of parts of a shoe together, and for providing the necessary heat and pressure in predetermined chronological rotation and order.

. Some upturned covers have been sectioned away at the top and also a repetitive portion of 'the machine in a transverse direction.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of a section of the machine, a pulley being omitted on top of the pump.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding cross-section of the upper level of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a partly sectioned top view of a last the level of the section being indicated by arrow and numeral Il in Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a corresponding, cross-sectioned side view.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of the rubber lining in a bottom view of part of the cover.

Figs. 2, 3 and 6 include means for aligning a sole on a cover, as used in fabricating shoes with hard soles,

Fig. 1 shows the vacuum unit as it is used in the manufacture of hard soles, but it is advanced for one position or units to the left, for the sake of clearness. The covers of Fig. 1 relate, however, to the manufacture of shoes with soft soles.

Similar numerals refer throughout the various views:

to similar parts A multiplicity of lasts may be presented on a Y after which the said operation may be repeated at the same position upon another sho-e, determine the number of lasts to be provided for, and the order of their cycle.

On the exemplary showing of the accompanying drawings, the last L of which one last L0 is shown in an operating position, may be replaceably mounted upon the hingedly interconnected members or links M of a chain. At the hinge point between members or links M the rollers R A machine is also to be provided, which can 55 may be provided upon opposite sides of the same,

said rollers running in endless U-shaped guide tracks G, which each have a straight upper and a lower extent, and semi-circular interconnecting loops at the ends, which loops are concentri- Ically disposed in respect to gearing, e. g. a driving gear D and an idler gear I. The teeth Y of gears D and I may extend into the perforations P in each of the members or links M.

The gears D and I and the guide tracks G are mounted between the sides F of the frame, which are relatively spaced by tie rods T. Such tie rods also retain the pressure bars or rails B in the frame, said bars or rails extending in spaced parallelism around the chain and more particularly in relation to itslinks M. Rails B are upturned at their ends Bu where there is a gap between the said ends in the top extent of said bars or rails B.

The driving gear is connected by a clutch C to the shaft X of a motor or another suitable source of power (not shown). The clutch lever vshaft S extends in front of the machine to the position Lo, where it may be controlled by a handle H. Shaft S is Weighted or tensioned in a counterclockwise direction, seen from the left, so that the clutch is normally in an open position. But against that tension or weight, the clutch C is retained in a close position by an extension E of the clutch lever, which rides upon the periphery of a notched disc N mounted upon the shaft oi driving gear D. After each sixth rotation the driving gear D will therefore come to a stop because the extension E drops into a notch of the notched disc N so that the clutch is disengaged and the driving gear comes to a rest. Operation may then be resumed if the operator presses the handle H down, lifting the extension E out of the notched disc N, the extension E then riding again upon the periphery of disc N, and retaining the clutch in an engaged position, until extension E drops into the next notch in notched disc N.

The foregoing explanation of Fig. 1 suggests, in general, a means for carrying out the method of this invention. There are a multiplicity of lasts, each last remaining in an oper-ating position for a predetermined interval or an interval which may be timed by the operator. Automatically the said last returns later, after a predetermined path of travel, to a position in front of the operator, successive lasts going through the same, continuous cycle.

There may be covers K which fit onto the lasts, being for instance swung thereonto. These covers may be elaborate, serving to align and assemble a sole on the shoe on the last. These are the covers Kp. Instead thereof, simpler cover K1 may be used which serve for ironing a soft sol-e shoe mounted upon the last.

These covers Kp or K1 may be replaceably hinged upon the upper end 22 of a vertical slide, the lower end 23 of such a slide being Wider, and being slidably accommodated in a slide box 20 having a cover 2|, said slide boxes arising from the backs of the members or links M. In the slide boxes 20 coiled springs 24 press the slides 22 up, the wider bottom part 23 of the slides, seating, therefore, normally against the top of cover 2| of slide boxes 20.

It may be desirable to retain a sole A upon the bottom of the cover Kp by suction. In that case the part of the bottom of the cover Kp onto which the sole is to be placed, may have a rubber lining 25 which is large enough -to accommodate the largest sole to be applied. Soles are aligned on this lining 'in a predetermined position, and

within the 4area upon which the smallest sole is to be aligned, there may be a number of perforations 26 which connect with a manifold 21 aci commodated, for instance in a rib 28 on the top of the cover Kp.

If vacuum is applied to this manifold, a sole A placed onto the rubber lining 25 will be retained in position by the pressure of the outside air.

The slide boxes 2,0 may be equipped as vacuum heads. For such purpose they may have a round hub 29 with a central opening 30, and a lateral opening accommodating a valve 3| with handle 32. In handle position 32e the valve is closed whereas the valve 3| is open when the handle is in position 32. When the valve 3| is in an open position, and the machine is in operation so that the members or links M are moving. the handles 32, will strike the risers 33 of the frame F and will be swung into the closed position 32e. Valve 3| is therefore normally closed, and will be in a closed position when the unit arrives in the position of last Lo. If in the said position suction is applied by way of opening 30, the valve 3| may be opened by hand, said valve being connected by a rubber hose 34 to the manifold 21 in the cover Kp. By reason of the flexible connection of the hose 34, there will be no interference with a swinging of the cover Kp around its fulcrum 35 on slide 22 between an upright position, in which it is shown in Fig. 2 in connection with lasts Lo or a horizontal position, in which the cover Kp is shown in connection with the other lasts of Fig. 2 or in Fig. 3.

Between the positions of the lasts just referred to, extends back from the frame F, and more particularly from the rear guide track G, a support 36. This support 36 accommodates a vacuum pump 31 upon a turntable 38. Turntable 33 is rotatable upon a mandrel 39 arising from support 36. The driving shaft 40 arises vertically, centrally from pump 31 and carries a pulley 4|. By a. belt Z this pulley 4| may be connected to a motor (not shown), which will therefore operate the pump independently of any rotation of turntable 38. Four levers 42 with forked ends 43 are arranged upon a circle at fulcrum points 44 on turntable 38. Each one of these levers 42 is normally pulled by a spring 45 against the stop 46. Between the forked ends of levers 42 are suspended the vacuum connectors 41. Each vacuum connector 41 has a rubber ring 48, which may be tted against a hub 29, said rubber ring being retained in a bushing 49. Bushings 49 are connected by hose 50 to a valve 5| on the pump,

' said hose 50 normally tensioning said bushing 49 into a position of alignment with, and abutment upon the forked ends 43 in which position they are shown at the upper left and at the bottom left and right of the pump of Fig. 2. The valves 5| have stems 52, which are tensioned in a counter-clockwise direction coiled by springs 54 below the turntable 38. f

Springs 54 tension valves 5| into normally close positions, in which the valve handles 53 extend radially from the pump. But the handles 53 strike a cam 55 mounted upon support 36, when the turntable 38 rotates in counter-clockwise direction. Cam 55 is an annular sector in Figs. 2 and 3, which has just swung one of the valve handles 53 into the position 53, in which the respective valve 5| is open. Thus evacuation effected by pump 31 will extend from said pump through the said one valve, the handle 53 of which is in an open position, to the cover Kp of the last Lo after the respective valve 3| has been opened. The cover Kp just referred to is in an upright position, so that a sole may be aligned upon the lining 25 thereof, and will then be retained by vacuum thereon, after the respective valve 3| has been turned on.

Progressing from the left top position of the pump unit in clockwise direction through the right top and bottom positions to the left bottom position, the positions have been called LT, RT, RB and LB respectively. Let us go back to the last intermittent movement of members or links M of the chain, when one of .the lasts is swung into the position L of Fig. 2. The connector now at position RT was pressed 4during said movement onto the respective hub 29, swung therefore from RB to RT and carried the vacuum unit and turntable through an angle of 90. At the beginning of said movement the lever 42, which is now in the position RB, rested against the respective stop 46, until the respective rubber ring 48 swung into abutment upon the respective hub 29 and pressed the respective lever 42 away Cil from the respective stop 46 in counteraction to the respective spring until the parts arrived at the RB position at the end of said movement. During the last part of said movement rubber ring 48 was and is in abutment upon the respective hub 29 of position RB, and the respective handle 53 was also swung into the position 53p of an open valve 5| at position RB. But at the end of said intermittent movement the valve 5| relating to position RT was closedbecause the respective handle slipped off the cam 55 and swung into the closed position 53p. Thus vacuum is available at the position RB but not in the position RT. The vacuum is shut off just before position RT is reached, but before the vacuum is shut off the respective pressure cover Kp has proceeded underneath the pressure bar or rails B and has been placed under pressure by the rails B, as it will be hereinafter described.

During the next intermittent movement, when the connector head at RT swings to LT, the respective rubber ring 48 disengages from the respective hubs 29, and is snapped through substantially 90 back in counter-clockwise direction against the respective forked ends 43, due to an uncoiling of the hose 50 from the strained position at RT into the released position of LT. Lever 62 now may also swing back against stopJiB. Provisions may be made on the members or links M to take up the reaction of the pressures from the right (Fig. 3)A exerted upon these members by the connectors 41 abutting upon hub 29, as well as other pressures occurring in this direction, as they will be presently described. For such reaction we may provide upon each member M, e. g. centrally between the rollers R mounted on the right (Fig. 3), on the hinge pin 56, rollers 51 journalled upon vertical pins 59 in the member M, said rollers 51 running upon the inside of the right guide track G (Fig. 3). Rollers 51 also serve to take up the reaction of flat springs 59, which serve as electric contact brushes or trolleys and press upon the third rail 60. The third rail serves toprovide a supply of electric current to members M. Only one electrical line is indicated; it is presumed that the members or links IVI are grounded for purposes of closing the electrical circuit. The third rail 60 is insulatedly set back in the left track G (Fig. 3) and is suitably connected to a source of electric power (not shown). Flat springs or trolleys 59 are insulatedly mounted upon the members or links M and may, as shown by a dot-dash line,

be connected by insulated wiring to suitable outlets, e. g. plug receptacles 6| and 62,k and possibly also to al flexible cable 64. The .flexible cable 64 is provided for interconnecting the electric supply of all members or links M, and assures a continued supply of current on all members or links M, so vthat all members or links M must not be provided with trolleys 59 or -must not contact the rail 60 at all times.

In connection with most types of shoes Q the curvature of the sole in a longitudinal direction may be the same for al1 sizes, although the toe and heel of the sole may extend variously in the respective planes. Under these conditions it is possible to use one cover Kp for all sizes of shoes, the soles extending more or less to the front and also to the back for larger or smaller sizes. The last, or various sizes of lasts, may be exchangeably mounted in predetermined alignment underneath the cover case Kp upon the member or links M.

Various arrangements may be made in order to allow an operator to align a sole quickly in a predetermined position upon the bottom of cover Kp when said cover is in an upright position, for instance in connection with last Lp, or in connection with a position prior thereto. An arrangement, which requires one adjustment only for various sizes of soles, will be suggested by the following example: Facing the cover Kp in an upright position, the operator sets the tip of the toe of a sole A down upon an adjustable stop 65. The stop 65 comprises a keyed, but otherwise round lug 66. From lug 66 in one direction the screw stud 69; and in a frontward direction the flat 12 serves as a finger upon which the tip of the toe of the sole A is set, i. e. as stop proper. From the cover Kp depends a bracket 68, which has a hole with a feather keyway 61 slidably accommodating the lug 66. The hole inthe bracket 68 is contracted in the back so that it slidably accommodates the threaded stud 69. Thus the bracket also provides a reaction surface 'for a compression spring 1|, which is coiled around the threaded stud 69, and presses the lug 66 to the front. Against the tension of spring 1|, the stop 65 is retained in bracket 68 by a knurled nut 10 engaged upon the threaded stud 69. Rotationy of the knurled nut 10 will adjust the finger 12 towards or away from the tip of the sole, and the operator may orient himself by way of suitable marking 1 3 as to the proper position of stud 65 for a' certain size shoe Q. The spring 1| is stiff enough to retain the stop normally in a fixed position, when the sole is set up on top thereof. But when, later, the cover Kp is swung down onto a shoe Q spread on the last Lp, it may be desirable that the stop yield, and such yielding is obtained by compression of spring 1|.

Aside from the variations of the length of a sole, there are variations in the width for the various sizes of solesy which widths vary proportionately for certain points along the length of the soles for different sizes of soles. As suitable guides I provide pairs of fingers 14 and 15, e. g. one pair to the front of the sole and another pair 15 to the back of the sole, the pairs of fingers being mounted upon pairs of shafts 16, which are journalled in lugs 11 and 18 arising from the cover Kp and are interconnected by a pair of meshing gears 19. Like the stop 12 the tips of the fingers 14 and 15 extend from the sides over the bottom of cover Kp, e. g. over the rubber lining 25 thereon. The fingers may be tensioned together, for instance by a spring 80 extending between the lingers 14. Thus the fingers 14 and 15 will open in opposite direction equally, although there may be a difference between the proportionate movements of the tip of the :dngers of each pair, as the widths of soles at dliIerent points of their lengths may vary at different ratios, such varied ratios being provided by disposing the shaft 16 at such angle where the iingers 14 and 15, as levers of different lengths yield different movement of the tips of the fingers. A suitable means may be provided for the operator, e. g. a knob 8| upon one of the gears 19, so that he may open up the pairs of fingers in jaw fashion, when he sets up a sole A on thev back stop 65; whereupon the fingers 14 and 15 will centrally and predeterminedly align the sole rest*-` ing on back stop 55, when the operator releases knob 8|. When the sole is then pressed laterally, after the cover Kp is swung down and pressed onto a shoe Q on the last below, then the fingers 14 and 15 may give evenly, reacting upon spring 80.

It has been indicated before that after a cover Kp has been swung down onto a last therebelow, the suction transmitted by manifold 21, which has been turned on by Way of valve 3| after the fingers 14 and 15 have centrally aligned the last on stop 65, will tightly retain the last when it has moved out of the position L0, until mechanical pressure is applied from the top to the cover Kp, by one or more bars or rails B extending above the cover Kp, in the direction of its travel. 'The bars B are arranged apart at suitable distances,

so that they may press the cover Kp evenly down.

after pressure has been slowly increased by way of the upturned ends Bp of said bars. In accordance with such arrangement of the bars B', suitable lugs or rollers may be arranged upon each of the cover Bu, such lugs or rollers slidably or rotatably engaging underneath the bar B and travelling there along.

The pressure members coacting with the bars B may for instance be executed as rollers 82, which are centrally supported in forked levers 83. The forked levers are fulcrumed at one end upon lugs 84 extending up from the cover Kp, the

other, free end of each forked lever resting upon a compression spring 85 arising from cover Kp. According to the relative spacing of the bars B and tracks G, the springs 85 will therefore produce any desired pressure upon the cover K of the link M of the chain upon which the covers K may be superimposed.

Each last L is mounted upon one of the members or links M in registration with the respective cover K, e. g. by way of threaded guide studs 86 slidably fitting into gears 81 extending from each last in opposite directions. By way of such studs the last may then be strapped down, e. g. by wing nuts 88. If the lasts are to be heated, an insulating layer |89 may be interposed between the last L and the respective member or link M. For lasts of the common construction withl a central guide hole in the shank, a suitable arbor may arise from the members or links M, and various means suggest themselves for arranging the lasts fixedly in the desired direction of alignment with a sole A depending from cover Kp. But as a preferred last, which may be expanded and heated, I suggest the following:

The last may have a front pad and a rear part or heel, said parts being arranged to move relatively to each other. e. g. by swinging or sliding. In addition the front part should be expansive. According to the example here illustrated, the front part 89 is stationary, and carries the gears 91 just referred to. Upon the base 9| of said front part 89, said base 9| comprisinr gears 91, slidably rest the rear part or heel 90. At their tops the back of the front part and the front of the heel are notched, so as to provide lobes 92 and 99, respectively, which horizontally overlap each other in tongue and groove fashion.

These lobeslmay extend across the last. A narrower, rectangular lug 94 projects frontward from the lower portion of heel 90, said rectangular lug 94 slidably fitting between the relatively spaced sides 95 projecting backwardly from the front part 89. The lobes 92 and 93, and plug 94 have central, rectangular clearances, with the exception of the top lobe 93 of the heel, said clearances accommodating in width the upright shank 96 of crank lever 91, whereas longitudinally said clearances allow play for said shank 98. Shank 98 is vertically slotted at 98, where it engages upon a pin 99 extending across one of the lobes.

93. ,The base of the front part is also slotted at |00 to the width of the crank lever 91 and here the crank lever is fulcrumed by a pin |0| upon the front part 89. Counter-clockwise movement of the crank lever will therefore close the front part and heel of the last upon each other, whereas movement in an opposite, clockwise direction (Fig. 5), will stretch a shoe Q mounted upon the last. The tip |02 of the shank 99 extends, with play, into a longitudinal slot |08 of a slide bar |03 which is longitudinally guided in suitable clearances |04, |05 of the heel 90 and front part 89 of the last. The slot |08 in slide bar |03 is longer than the tip |02 protruding therelnto, so that the slide bar |03 will only participate in the movement of the heel in opposite directions at the end of each movement.

A transverse groove, with undercut bottom clearances |01 is cut across the top of the front part 89, between the solid toe |08 and the rear portion thereof. 'Ihis groove slidably accommodates the ball portions |09 and ||0, which overlap at their tops by way of the transverse lobes and ||2, respectively and which conform with the extended contour of the last, when they are stressed apart. Such stressing apart is effected by the slanted projections ||3 extending from opposite sides of the bar |03, when said bar is retracted by the crank lever 91. But when bar |03 is pushed to the front the slanted projections ||3 fall into corresponding clearances in the bottoms of the ball portions |09 and ||0. The ball portions |09 and ||0 are tensioned together in order to close over the ba`r |03 moved to the front by tension springs I4 engaged in the bottoms of registering holes of the ball portions |09 and ||0. The flat surface of the front part 89, upon which the bar |03 is longitudinally, and the ball portions |09 andv ||0 are transversely slidably arranged, is recessed by way of a cavity ||5 accommodating a heating element I6, said heating element being electrically connected by way of a suitable cord ||1 and plug ||8 to one of the receptacles 6| and 62. The other receptacle may receive cord O for connection to a heating element in the cover K1 serving for instance for ironing purposes.

Following the movement of the crank lever, we observe, that connection with a clockwise motion of the crank the wheel is first projected back from the last, and then the ball portions |09 and ||0 are' moved apart.

In the reversed l movement of the crank lever the heel 90 first closes in upon the front part 89 of the last and then the two ball portions |09 and ||0 close upon each other.

The substantially horizontal arm ||9 of the crank lever is longitudinally slotted and engages by Way of said slot upon a pin |20 in the forked upper end of a plunger |2| which has a head |22 at its lower end. The head |22 is normally in a low position, being depressed by a compression spring |23 extending between said head and the member or link M. When the head |22 is in a low position, the crank is swungl into its extreme position in counter-clockwise direction, and the last is collapsed. At the position of a last Lo each last, and the respective member or link M and the respective head |22, are stationed above a foot pedal |24. Foot pedal |24 is connected by rod |25 and lever |26 to a point of the machine, at which a ball formation |21 on the end of lever |26 registers with the head |22 in the position'referred to just above.

There may be notches |28 upon one side of the head |22, and the pawl |29 depending from the member or link M will fall into said notches and automatically will retain the plunger |2| in its top-most position, against the reaction of spring |23, a shoe mounted on last L being now in a stressed state.

Having thus arranged a shoe on the last, the operator may now turn his attention to the cover K. If the operator is making shoes with soft soles, he may merely use an ironing cover K1, having a heater plate V which now is swung down from an upright position, into which it had been swung previously for the purpose of removing the shoe last finished from the last L0 from said last. After the operator has swung the cover Ki down onto a soft sole on the last, he depresses handle H, causing the last L0 to proceed to the next, following position, the cover K1 being placed under the pressure of the rails 0r bars B before it arrives at said next position. The unit referred to will remain under said pressure until it has travelled over the right end of the machine down and up again on the left side of the machine, where the cover Kl is released from pressure by the top rails B, when the cover moves up from under the curved ends Bu of the rails B. When the last unit has emerged from under the rails B, a piece of slanted rail J, which is fastened upon the frame F, engages underneath and lifts up the roller |3|, said roller being mounted upon an extension of pawl |29. Thus pawl H29 is swung in clockwise direction (Fig. 3 or Seen from the left end of the machine), and will release the head |22, which drops down under pressure of spring V23, causing the last to collapse into a closed position. Now the operator may lift up the cover K1, and may remove the shoe from the last. The pawl |29 may be provided with a lug |30 upon the side opposite to the roller |3|, said lug checkingr against the bottom of the member or link M, when the pawl is released by the short rail J and drops under its own weight. If a shoe with a hard sole is to be fabricated, the operations just described are modified in the manner i-lrst described above. I. e. a cover Kp is used, upon which a sole is aligned by the mechanical means, such as stop 65 and fingers 74 and 'l5 described above, or by the suction applied through the lining 25, or both.

The sole is preferably prepared as follows:

A layer of cement has been applied thereto in the first instance, the layer having dried, in

part at least. Now, when the sole is to be placed onto the machine, another layer of cement is placed onto the first layer, and then the sole may be placed onto the upright cover Kp in the manner heretofore described herein. When the cover Kp is then swung onto a shoe Q mounted upon a last on the position of last L0 and the cover isy placed under pressure, as the last travels on underneath the bar B, the second layer of cement will engage upon the shoe Q, will redissolve the dried or partly dried first layer of the cement, until eventually, under the action of pressure, the sole properly adheres to the shoe extending on the last.

What Ivclaim is:

1. A last suited for fabricating a shoe thereon, comprising a supporting member, an expansive front part and a heel part, one of said parts being mounted on top of said member and said parts being relatively longitudinally movable, and a single control element adapted for expanding said front part and for moving said parts apart.

2. A last suited for fabricating a shoe thereon, comprising a supporting member, a. front part having a toe, a heel part, a transversely movable ball portion on said front part, said front part being aflixed to said member and said portion and heel part being movable at right angles to each other and out from said front part, and gearing for moving said parts apart and moving said portion on said front part.

3. A last suited for fabricating a shoe thereon, comprising a supporting member, a front part having a toe, a heel part, a transversely movable ball portion on said front part, one of said parts being mounted on said member and said parts being relatively longitudinally movable, and gearing for rst moving said parts apart and then moving said portion laterally out on said front part when said gearing is passed through a continuous motion.

4. As implements for manufacturing shoes, a plurality of interconnected movably arranged supporting members, lasts fixedly arising from said members in upside-down positions, said lasts comprising relatively transversely and longitudinally movable sections and control means mounted on said member, operatively connected with said sections and serving to expand a last in two directions at will.

5. As an implement for manufacturing shoes, a last comprising a heel yoppositely movable front sections on opposite sides, tension means pulling said sections together, and a slide bar interposed between said sections and shaped as a wedge fitting into recesses in said sections, said slide bar being movable between said sections into different positions in which said sections are variously spaced apart against the reaction of said tension means and moved out on opposite sides relatively to said heel.

6. As implements for manufacturing shoes, a plurality of interconnected movably arranged supporting members, lasts lixedly arising from said members in upside-down positions, said lasts comprising relatively transversely and longitudinally movable sections, said sections having lobes interconnected in tooth formation and forming a substantially continuous surface, when said sections are moved together.

7. As an implement for fabricating shoes, a last, a cover fitting said last, a member fixedly supporting said last and movably supporting said cover, said cover being predeterminedly guided by said member relatively to a position of registering abutment of said cover upon the sole of lastf a stop onsaid cover upon which may be s'et'a'sole to be applied to a shoe extended on said last, and means for adjusting said stop' on said cover for soles of diil'erent sizes. I 0

8. As an implement for fabricating shoes, a last, a cover fitting said` last, a membenxedly supporting said lastand movably supporting said cover, said cover being predeterminedly guided bx said member relatively to apo'sitionof registering abutment of said cover upon the -'sole of said last,

a suction manifold O n said co'vert'orA thereon a sole to' be applied to a shoe on said last, a pump, and coupling means connectingand dis-l connecting said pump .and said maniold as said member is moved. M

9. As imple 'entsjormanuiacturng lslhoaa plurzaility of linterconnected movablyfnarranged supporting' members, lasts xedly arising Iron; said membei'sjn upside-down positions, said lasts comprising Nrelatively transversely and longitudi-` nallymovable nse ctiox i'- and an electricheater in-` ter ,edn Sai@ last between Said Seatigns- Y 1G..A jAs :implements f or manufacturing shoes, a

scatti- I saidmembers -in upside-down positions, `said lasts uen of units, each-Inuit malvniga rast and a-cqver aligned with said last, supporting means movably guiding said units along4 an, endless path, and

pressure means spacedly arranged along said path and serving to depressthe covers onto 'the4 lasts of said units, said pressure means engaging said covers along part of said path only.

12. A last suited for fabricating a shoe thereon,

comprising a supporting member, a frontpart y having` a solid toe, a heel part, and a longitudinallyvv movable portion on said front partforpxpanding said front part, one of said parts/'being mounted on saidl member and saidv pax"cs'beii'ig relatively longitudinally movable. l I 

